Electron-discharge device



` E. R. sToEKLE ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE original med Maren 2o, 191e Patented Dec. 15,1925.l Y l UNITED' STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

EBWIN E. sToExLE, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AssIGNon To WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

ELECTRON-DISCIIARGE DEVICE.

Original application led March 20, 1916, Serial No. 85,457. Patent No. 1,353,976, dated September 28, 192. Divided and this application led August 30, 1920. Serial 110,406,858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERWIN R. STOEKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Electron-Discharge Devices,rof Whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

y This invention relates to electron discharge devices and an object is to construct a device of the above character which will have a-much larger vpower capacity than those heretofore made. e

In electron discharge devices ofthe audion and other types in which two or more elements are used, one of the elements is usually hea-ted andbecomes a source of electrons. The other element, called the anode,-is usually yleft cold. Under the action of an electricV field, in which the anode is made positive, the electrons from lthe heated element travel towards the anode, and acquire a velocity which, in case of a. strong electric ield, may be exceedingly high. As a result of the electronic bombardment tO which it is thus subjected, the anode becomes heated. In the case of such high vacua as are used in vacuum tubes Of this type, it is clear that this heat must be dissipated, almost entirely by radiation. 'l v f It has been found that the capacity of these thermionic tubes to handle. electricv power is limited chiefly by the ability of the anode to dissipate .the heat due to bombardl ment for, when an attempt is made to increase the Output of a given tube beyond a certain limit, the anode may be heated to such a. degree that an' excessive amount of iilament 8 to the ends of which are fastened occluded gas is liberated, thusdiminishing metallic rods 9 and 10. Rod 10 is. in turn, 40 the vacuum or the anode may actually be fastened to two lead-in wires 11 and 12which heated' to its melting point, resulting in theH pass through the glass member 4 at diiierent destruction of the tube. In still other cases points, and are externally connectedto a the anode may beome heated to such a decommon lead 13. Similarly, the metallic gree that the anode acts as a source of elecrod 9 is connected to two lead-in wires 14 4,5 .trons and thereby causes troublev in the Operation of the tube. s In this invention, then, the purpose is to so construct and arrange the anode element that it will be able to dissipate a much larger amountof heat than heretofore and'to do this without having the anode excessively heated. This result has been Obtained by makin the containing vessel of the vacuum 'tube O metal and using the metallic vessel as the cold element or anode. It is apparent that the much larger surface thereby afforded will permit Of'greater radiation and at the same time further dissipation of heat is made possible by convection.

To assist in this latter,n it has been found desirable to cool the tube by means of a fan or by immersingthe tube inl water', or Oil, or other suitable'cooling agent.

The subject .matter above described is claimed in my application which has matured into Patent 1,353,976, dated September 28, 1920, on yacuum tube devices, of which this is a division.

An Object-Of this invention is to improve upon the electrode supportingarrangement for devices of this character and especially to utilize one of the electrodes as a means of support for another electrode.

This invention will be better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription taken' in connection with the accompanying drawing,` in which Fig. 1 represents al1-.embodiment of this inventionin whichv the metallic container is cylindrical in form and Fig. .Q is a cross sectional view of the same.

Referring to the drawing, the vacuum tube disclosed therein comprises a-metallic tube 1 members 3 and 4, tapered ground ends 5 and 6 making close and intimate Contact with the flared ends 25 of the metallic tube. tion to these ground joints, it is, in general, desirable to ,further improve the seal by means of suitable sealing compounds. y

Through the center of the tube extends a of glass member 3 'and are externally connected to a commonlezd 16. The l'ament leads 13 Vand 16 are branched as above described for the purpose of reducing the amount of current carried by a single wire sealed through glass, frequently occurs when sealed through one of the glass members.V Leakage, at the point where a lead-in wire is having fiared ends 25 into which fit glass In addi-.1

and 15, whichpass through different points Y large currents pass through the lead-in wires@ in Fig'. 2.

a material.-

Anode 1 is preferably cylindrical in shape as indicated in the cross' sectional view shown v bers and 21 preferably of insulating material such as glass. The size ofthe blocks or spacing members 20'and 21 is such that the blocks contactat a plurality'of points with the metallic container 1, whereby the control electrode 18 is heldin place within the metallic container. The size of these spacing members 20 and 21 however should be suchias to allow the control electrode with the spacing members -to be forced into its proper position in the' metallictube 1 during the manufacture of the device. The grid is .provided with a leadin wire 27 .Y

Rods 9 and'10 h 'ch are fastened 'to the opposite ends ofthe filament 8, pass freely throughl the apertures 22 and 23 in the spacing members 20 and 21 so as to allow for' the vfree expansion or contractionof the filament. It is to be understood that the electron ,disF charged'evice above described may be variously modified without-departing in any measure from thespirit of this invention as defined in the ap ended claims. 'What is claime is:

projecting neck, a block 'of insulating material adjacent said neck, an electrode unitsupported from said block, and` an element ofinsulating material connected to the end of said unit remote from-said neck and slid- .ably contacting with the walls of said evacuated vessel.

2.An electron discharge device comprising Aa cylindrical vessel having an inwardly .projecting neck, a block of insulating material adjacent said neck, an electrode unit supported from said block, and a second block of insulating material connected-to the end of said unit remote from saidneck; and' ing throughone end of said vessel, a block of insulating material adjacent said end for supporting said electrodes, and a second block ofA insulating material near the end ofY s adelectrodes remote from the-end of said Y1. Anelectron discharge-device compris' ing an evacuated 'vessel having an inwardly vessel through which the lead-in wires pass,

said second block being connected to said electrodes and being slidably in contact with the walls of said vessel.

4. An electron discharge device-comprising an evacuated vessel containing an electrode unit, lead-in wires sealed in through said vessel at one end thereof, and a block of insulating material at either end of said unit for supporting said unit, said blocks being connected to. each other only by a path composed substantially` entirely of conducting material.

5. An electron discharge device comprisingan anode,'a plurality of spaced blocks supported by said anode, a helical electrode, and supporting wires for said helical electrode fastened to saidA blocks.

6. An electron discharge device comprising an anode, a plurality of spaced blocks of insulating material supported by said anode, a second electrode and supporting -wires for said second electrode fastened to l said blocks.

7 An electron discl'iarge. device -comprising an evacuated vessel, a lurality of spaced blocksof'insulating material slidably in contact with the walls of said 'vessel and supported thereby, and aA second electrode spaced between said blocks and supported by said blocks.

8. An electron discharge device comprising an evacuated vessel, a block of insulating material therein, and a'resilient electrode supporting member passing freely through-an aperture in said block.

ing an evacuated vessel, a block of insulating material therein, an electrode in said vessel, a coiled spring for resiliently support- ;ing saidl electrode, said spring being located on that side of said block remote from said electrode -and being connected to said electrode by a wire passing through an aperture in said block.

10. An electron discharge device comprising an evacuated vessel containing a plurality of electrodes, a block of insulating material, one of said-electrodes bein supported by said block, a coiled spring or resiliently sup rting one of said electrodes, said block being located between'said'sprin and the electrode resiliently supported thereby.

11. An electron discharge device comprising an evacuated vessel containing an elec'- trode, a support for said electrode comprising a block of insulating material, a second electrode, a resilient member, a connection between said second electrode and said member for resiliently supporting said electrode,

9. AnA electron discharge device compris- I said connection freely passing through Yan aperture in said block.

12. A vacuum tube comprising an elec'- trodetwo spaced blocks of insulating matetrode, a plurality of spaced blocks of insulating material for supportin said electrode, and a metallic member cent respect to said supported electrode and pas -.ing through apertures'in said blocks.

with respect to saidelectrodes and passing'V 15. An electron discharge device comprising an evacuated eael, a rtion of its containing wall constituting t e anode electrode for said device, a second electrode within said anode, a plurality of spaced insulating means for supportin said second electrode,

and a metallic mem r centrally disposed through apertures in said means.

Y beingv flared at -the end 16. An electron discharge device compris- .ing two spaced insulating blocks, an electrode supported therebetween, and supporting means centrally disposed with respect to.

sald blocks and in said blocks. t

17. An electron dischargede-vice comprisin a cylindrical anode, spaced blocks of insuigating material within said anode, and supporting means centrally disposed with respect to said anode, said means engaging Jsaid blocks and be 'supported thereby.

18. An electronl disc arge device comprispassing through apertures ing a tubular anode constitut' a portion of the containing wall'. of sai device; a

cathode within said anode, a glass closure Vfor one end of said anode, *and a lead-in wire through said gla' closure, said anode having said glass closure. f

.19. AmelectronA discharge devicegcoinpris-` Ving a cylindrical-anode eonstitutirg a portion of the wall of sai device,

a cathode cooperating with saidY anode; a glass .closure for one end of said anode, one end of said an`ode having a non-uniform diameter along that part of the anode in-contact with said glass closure, and ,aflead-in l-wire throu h said gllgcssclosurel A An e ectron har de vijce comprising a tubularanode vmem r constituting :a

.portion of the contiining wall .of said de? vi a cathode with sadanode,

a tubular glass dosare member .for one'end of s'aidfanode, one. of said members bein redatiitsendwhichisincontactvv'it e other ofs'aid y spaced with lindrical anode 21. An electron discharge device comprising va tubular anode constitu a. portion of the containing wall. of sai device, a cathode cooperating with said anode, glass closures one for each endl of said anode, and a lead-in wine through .one of said closures. j

ing a tubular anode constitutin a portion of the containing wall of sai device, a cathode and a control electrode coo with said anode, glass closures or both 22. An electron discharge device comprisl vs rating endsof said tubular anode, a lead-inv wire for said cathode through one of said glas 'v 'closm'es, and a lead-in wire :for said 'control electrode through the other of V said glass.

closures.

23. n electron discharge 'device comprising a vessel, an anode, a cathode and an electrode, said electrode being'intermediate -the anode andthe cathode, and a block of V.insulating material Supported by the anode and extending across the end of the anode substantially at right angles to the principal axis of said vessel, longitudinal metal members `attached to said electrode and supported in said block, said block also serving as a support for the cathode.

24. An electron dischargedevice compris- 'ing atubular anode constituting a. portionv of the containing Wall of said device, a

lead-in wires for said device passing through opposite ends of said tubular anode.A i

loo

25. VAnelectrpn discharge device comprisin a cylindrical anode, an `elongated. meta ic supporting means coinciding in position with the axis of said anode, two spaced blocks of insulating material engaging said means and another electrode supported by said blocks and said supporting means.

26. An electron discharge device comprising afcylindricalanode, a cathode, means 'nearone end of said anode for supportingJ oneo end of said cathode, means neanthe other end o said' anode forsupporting the cathode cooperating with said anode, and,y

other end of said cathode, said second means being slidably-supported. A A. Y

.a 27. In an electron, discharge ,device, a' cylintlirical anode, a'block o f insulating `materia thereq and supporting means forvsaid el- 1 carried ysaidA insulat blocks.

. 28. Infafn electron disc arge'device,

ai'xcy rial, su ported hy thereo electrodes between Y In 'tness whereof,v

iny name 1920. I

this 19th day of August ablock of `1 ussupora by said mode' naar ma me. an electrode between Asaid i f Vservirte., 

